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Winning weekend for Team Plowman Craven
2nd June 2008
Following on from last week's success in the FBD RAS, Team Plowman Craven lined up for their respective Regional Championships with four riders competing in the Central Divisions competition based near Plowman Craven's Harpenden base.
Tony Gibb, James Millard, Simon Gaywood and Alex Higham lined up against a classy field. The opening few laps of the 140 kilometre passed without incident as Team Plowman Craven bombarded the opposition with attacks with the aim of softening them up prior to a decisive move.
There was not too long to wait as the constant attacks saw a small group go clear including Alex Higham and Simon Gaywood, they were quickly joined by James Millard and finally Tony Gibb making contact a few kilometres later. Moving straight to the front Millard and Gibb drove the pace up, opening a gap over the chasing peleton. With such favourable odds Plowman Craven continued to drive the break, but shortly after the 80 kilometre mark Higham and Gaywood attacked taking 4 others for company.
Sensing this was the winning move Millard waited until the time was right and bridged across, Gibb was in stunning form and as the 7 riders moved clear he scorched across the 40 second gap alone. Once again the quartet had strength in numbers and set about reducing the size of the group. With attacks from Gibb and Millard providing the basis for a counter attack from Higham and Gaywood the move forced the other members of the group to chase marshalled by Gibb, while the peleton made a last ditch attempt to pull back the leaders.
The other members of the fragmented break away caught Higham and Gaywood shortly after 100 kilometres. Gibb however was in no mood to wait for the peleton and hit out for home with 35 kilometres remaining. Absorbed by the peleton Higham, Gaywood and Millard kept an eye on the chase behind as the peleton stretched into a long line under as the pressure applied at the front by riders wanting Gibb's lead quashed.
As the race entered its final lap Gibb held a 40 second lead over the chasing peleton. One of the London Dynamo team decided this was his last chance to catch Gibb and attacked with 10 kilometres remaining, Plowman Craven's Simon Gaywood marked the move and the pair found themselves between the peleton and the lone leader. Gibb powered on towards the climb to the finish as Sybrandy ran out of steam making no further impression to his lead. The pace was fierce as the peleton passed 1 kilometre to the finish, on this occasion they had no answer for Gibb's strength as he crossed the line alone 5 seconds ahead of the marauding peleton who had caught Gaywood inside the final 50 meters.
Elsewhere Plowman Craven's Neil Coleman finished 8th in the South Region's event 48 seconds behind winner David Sinclair of Team Europe.
Gibb who collapsed just meters after the line after his mammoth efforts explained “I attacked as a softener to spice things up a bit and so that Alex could get his breath and then have another go as his was one of his goals for the year so I am sorry to him for that, especially as his new fiancée was here from California to watch, but when I was forty seconds up I couldn't really sit up so I just got my head down and ploughed on. It was brutal going up the climb with a lap to go but I think the boss will be happy, the last time I rode this I got pulled out for allegedly riding in the wrong region.”
While the English members of the team competed in their championships Scottish star Evan Oliphant was victorious in the wet National Super 6 series race in Leven in Scotland, going clear with SIS rider Ross Creber the final time up the prime hill. Working well together they caught and dropped long time leader Callum Wilkinson before sprinting it out for the win, with Oliphant taking the uphill sprint raising a clenched fist with 20 metres still remaining.
“I attacked the last time up the hill to Largo Ward, and took Ross with me as he looked to be going well. We worked well together and caught Wilkinson and dropped him pretty quickly. I expected Ross to attack but we took it to the sprint, and I was strongest in the uphill sprint.”
Central Division
1. Tony Gibb Team Plowman Craven 03:26:26
2. Matthew Jones Pearl Izumi-Planet X-High 5 @0.05
3. Paul Delahunty London Dynamo
8. Alex Higham Team Plowman Craven
17. Simon Gaywood Team Plowman Craven
30. James Millard Team Plowman Craven
South Region
1. David SINCLAIR Team Europe 03:18:15
2. Oli BECKINGSALE Giant @st
3. Grant BAYTON Sports Beans / Willier @ 0:10
8. Neil COLEMAN Team Plowman Craven @ 0:48
Super 6 Series
1. Evan Oliphant Plowman Craven 3:14:41
2.Ross Creber Science in Sport / Trek @st
3. Gordon Murdoch Pedal Power RT @ 37
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